Every week he speaks directly with the line managers at some of the sports betting industry’s largest online sportsbooks about which games the public is chasing and the “sharps” are pounding. He also utilizes the award-winning betting tools and betting systems found on SportsInsights.com to uncover hidden value in the coming weekend’s games. If the NFL Marketwatch has helped you to improve your handicapping skills and bottom line, then Try SportsInsights.com’s Premium Pro Membership. You’ll receive our Best Bets plays. They are emailed out on weekdays at 6:25pm et, and on weekends by 12pm et. On average, SportsInsights.com’s Best Bets have been consistently profitable across every sport!

NFL Marketwatch – NFL Divisional Playoffs

Recapping Regular Season

The holiday season was joyous for the sportsbook industry in NFL Weeks 15 and 16, but the party ended in NFL Week 17. The previous Sunday closed the final chapter on a tough NFL regular season for the sportsbook industry. All sportsbooks reported a slightly negative weekend with most losing between 0-1% of their handle. It was a tough NFL regular season for the sportsbooks. Let’s just say we’re all glad the playoffs are finally here.

Our Games to Watch stumbled in the final week, going 2-2, and for the season, that put us slightly above .500 but unfortunately in the red, 25-23-2, 52.1%. This is the first time in five seasons that NFL Marketwatch failed to produce positive results. We’re proud of our overall five-year record of 137-105 56.7% but disappointed in a subpar 2009 NFL Season. We look to return to our winning ways in 2010!

SportsInsights.com analysis shows that in games with over 64% of the action on one side, the Public went 4-4. For the season, that puts the Public “in the red” with a record of 66-64 = 50.7%. To put this into perspective: over the previous 3 NFL seasons, in games where the Public was at least 64% on one team, the Public posted a record of 128-208 = 38.1%. Needless to say, the 2009 NFL regular season went the way of the “Square.”

I’d like to thank the line managers at our contributing sportsbooks for taking the time to speak with me every week, allowing unprecedented access to their line boards and minds. It’s been an education in itself. I’d also like to thank the loyal readers of Sports Marketwatch. Your encouragement and support made this weekly column a joy to produce. I hope the Sports Marketwatch has shown readers the importance of line value.

NFL Divisional Playoffs – Games to Watch Playoff Edition

(1-0 = 100.0%)

The NFL Playoffs are a totally different animal than the NFL Regular season. The amount of “Public” square bets skyrockets. The culmination of this trend is the Super Bowl, the most wagered sporting event of the year. Everyone, and their mother, wagers on the Super Bowl. From the casual “box-office-pool” – to the professional sports bettor – to the Superbowl commercials: everyone has some interest in the Superbowl.

For value-minded sports investors, this massive influx of “Public” money means opportunity. During the NFL Playoffs, odds makers heavily weigh Public opinion when deciding on a game’s betting line. They’ll shade a line 2-3 pts knowing that the Public will be heavily on one side. “Public Money” dwarfs the amount of “Sharp Money” buying back the shaded lines.

Visit SportsInsights.com to view LIVE wagering statistics from multiple online sportsbooks on every NFL game.

Arizona Cardinals vs. New Orleans Saints

With the Public overwhelmingly on Arizona, our readers know who we will favor. Surprisingly, we are taking the favored Saints — but the Public often goes by the, “What have you done for me lately?” mentality. We will be “selling” Arizona’s dramatic OT victory over Green Bay — and “buying” New Orleans on a down swing — as they stumbled in the final weeks of the NFL regular season.

In addition to “buying low” and “selling high” — SportsInsights had several Smart Money alerts come in on New Orleans. Our Members know that we always follow the Smart Money. So there you have it: we get to “bet against the Public” and follow the “Sharps” as we take a rare favorite. We expect the Saints to “come back to form” now that the playoffs have begun for them. The Saints were 13-0 at one point this season — and they led the league in net points (PF minus PA). Give the points.

New Orleans Saints -7 +102 (Bet at Matchbook -7 +100)

So, here’s a wrap-up of SportsInsights.com analysis for this week’s Games to Watch – Playoff Edition for the NFL.